Now that Moammar Gadhafi is gone, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran is likely to be the most controversial visitor to New York this week. He seems to relish the global spotlight of the UN General Assembly. This year he may also be relieved to get away from troubles at home.

An internal power struggle has left Ahmadinejad with his wings clipped and the (more) conservative clerics in the ascendant. The Iranian economy is in poor shape (not least because of international sanctions). And Iran’s main ally in the Arab world – President Bashar al Assad in Syria – is struggling to hold onto his job.

The tussle over the two American hikers in Iran is the latest episode in a battle between Ahmadinejad and the clerical establishment. The president, apparently keen to get the issue out of the way before wheels-up for New York, told NBC last week that the hikers should be freed within a couple of days. Cue the judicial authorities, who are very much in the camp of conservative clerics. They responded curtly that they would decide the issue. Ahmadinejad shot back – suggesting he might make a "unilateral pardon on behalf of the Iranian nation."

Vali Nasr, a frequent adviser to the U.S. government on the Middle East and Professor of International Politics at Tufts University, says Ahmadinejad “wanted to take credit for the hikers’ release and make himself look relevant and capable” – a serious interlocutor. But his attempt to circumvent normal channels angered conservatives.

Nasr says Ahmadinejad is the proverbial lame duck president, with two years left of his second and final term. Nasr, who has advised U.S. administrations on Iran policy, says Ahmadinejad has been confronted by “resistance within the bureaucracy, parliament and judiciary and is unable to get his way on policy issues.”

The rift has grown since the disputed elections of 2009, when Iran’s conservative forces displayed a united front amid massive street protests. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader, backed Ahmadinejad from the pulpit while the basij militia cracked heads in the street. But the president’s subsequent attempts to consolidate his power base – and his dabbling in matters spiritual – have not gone down well.

In June, a close Ahmadinejad ally, Mohammed Sharif Malekzadeh, was forced to resign as deputy foreign minister, amid allegations of financial wrongdoing – which he denies. That followed a struggle over the Intelligence minister in April, who was dismissed by Ahmadinejad only to be reinstated by Ayatollah Khamanei.

But it’s not just a turf war. Writing on CNN.com last week, Jamsheed K. Choksy, senior fellow at the Center on American and Global Security, said that "at the heart of the tussle between Ahmadinejad and his former clerical mentors is the question of whether the Islamic republic and its system of velayat-e faqih, or governance by an Islamic jurist, should endure or be discarded as a disastrous experiment."

Nasr says Ahmadinejad has also infuriated the clergy by repeatedly talking of his special relationship with the Twelfth (or Hidden) Imam, a messianic figure who he said last week would return to earth to establish “brotherly love.” Earlier this year Ahmadinejad's chief of staff, Esfandier Rahim Mashaei, backed a film on the subject. Conservative clerics reacted furiously at such an intrusion into their territory, attacking members of the government as "deviants, devils and evil spirits." Several people were arrested and charged with “invoking spirits.”

Karim Sadjadpour says Ahmadinejad "has always been the dispensable sword of Ayatollah Khamenei, who used Ahmadinejad to bludgeon his domestic opponents, pursue a non-compromising foreign policy and try to resuscitate revolutionary zeal." But he says the Ayatollah "seemingly didn't anticipate is that Ahmadinejad is a double-edged sword who wasn't going to be content with being merely the leader's lackey."

Iran and the Arab Spring
The regional picture for Iran is not quite as rosy as it was either. Three years ago, its alliance with Syria allowed Tehran to exercise influence throughout the Middle East and especially in Lebanon through Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s arsenal of missiles, the best of them provided by Iran according to US diplomatic sources, was the Iranians’ potent "insurance card" against any Israeli attack against its nuclear facilities.

At the same time, Iran’s influence in Iraq was growing through Shi’ite militia and an empathetic coalition led by Nouri al Maliki. (Saudi officials used to describe Maliki as an "Iranian agent.") Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt all fretted about growing Iranian influence. In a diplomatic cable from 2009, then President Mubarak of Egypt Mubarak warned of Iran's growing influence with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and was quoted as describing "Tehran's hand moving with ease throughout the region, from the Gulf to Morocco."

Today the picture is hazier. Publicly Ahmadinejad has distanced himself from Syria’s beleaguered President, Bashar al Assad. Ahmadinejad told the Washington Post last week: "Some people are against him. They should be respected." Some analysts say Iran is concerned about the anti-Iranian tone of some Syrian protests, and wants to hedge its bets should Assad eventually succumb. Vali Nasr says the veiled public criticism of Assad is an attempt by the Iranians to protect their image on the Arab street, while at the same time continuing to back the Syrian president in private.

"I suspect in private the Iranians have offered Assad their continued support and advised him not to concede an inch," says Karim Sadjapour of the Carnegie Endowment on International Peace. "The long-held strategy and philosophy of Iran's hardliners is that you never compromise for it will only project weakness and encourage more dissent."

Other trends don’t necessarily work in Iran’s favor. Turkey, a growing power in the region, has chastised Iran for its loyalty to Assad. Much sharper pro- and anti-Iranian lines have been drawn in Lebanon, with the Sunni-led opposition bloc throwing down the gauntlet to Hezbollah. And while the results of the Arab Spring are not yet in, its democratic impulse is one that’s difficult for Iran to champion – given its own crackdown on protesters in 2009. Iran has somewhat implausibly supported the protests as an "Islamic awakening."

There may be opportunities for Iran in the reshaping of the region: the military council running Egypt is less hostile to Iran than was Mubarak – and also less cozy with Israel. Shi'ite unrest in Bahrain – just a few miles across the Gulf from the Iranian coast – has given a stick to the Iranians with which to beat the (Sunni) Gulf monarchies. Ahmadinejad told a news conference in April: "The Saudis did an ugly thing to deploy troops [in Bahrain] ... the Bahraini government also did an ugly work to kill its own people."

But from Morocco to Syria, the inspiration for change has been democracy not theocracy, and Iran-watchers say those winds of change may in turn limit Ayatollah Khamanei's freedom of maneuver. Even if he wanted to engineer the impeachment of Ahmadinejad, fresh elections while the rest of the Middle East is in turmoil might invoke the law of unintended consequences, says Vali Nasr.

There is plenty for Iranians to grumble about. Inflation is running at 20 percent; unemployment by some estimates at 15 percent. Sanctions have hurt the financial and transport sectors and are variously blamed on the United States, Ahmadinejad, the clergy or all of the above. Economic growth is probably no more than one percent, according to the head of the Parliament's research committee, Ahmad Tavakoli. On top of that, the government has begun to reduce state subsidies, which were costing an estimated $100 billion a year. Suzanne Maloney of the U.S. Institute of Peace wrote earlier this year that Iran's youth "who represent more than two-thirds of the population – are simply fed up with the lack of opportunities and the stultifying social and cultural restrictions."

Vali Nasr says that despite everything, many poorer Iranians still support Ahmadinejad. “He’s distributed a lot of money to the poor and they still think he’s on their side.” As subsidies were cut, the government provided modest cash payments to Iranian families to cushion the impact.

More likely than any showdown between Ahmadinejad and Khamenei, according to analysts, is an uneasy coexistence until the next scheduled presidential elections in 2013. Nasr says the clerical establishment doesn’t want to disturb the system having expended so much political capital in backing Ahmadinejad in the 2009 elections. It is happy to weaken him without resorting to the “monumental step” of impeachment.

Now coming into focus is the campaign for next year’s parliamentary elections and the crucial presidential election in 2013. Ahmadinejad’s efforts to groom long-term protégé Esfandier Rahim Mashaei as a successor have set off a furious backlash. Last week, Ahmadinejad denied that Mashaei (whose daughter is married to the president's oldest son) was implicated in a $2.6 billion banking scandal in Iran. And he included Mashaei in his delegation to the UN – prompting conservative lawmakers to claim he was protecting his chief of staff from likely arrest back home.

Despite all the protesters awaiting him, a few days at the Warwick Hotel in New York may seem like a vacation to the Iranian president.

soundoff(413 Responses)

Wake up, Sheeple!

One irrefutable fact that the Palestinians don't seem to want us to remember, is that they were offered statehood back in 1947, under the auspices of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (II) Future Government of Palestine, which would have divided up the area between Arab Nationalists (Palestine) and Jewish Nationalists (Israel). After approval by the General Assembly, the plan was approved by the Jewish community in Palestine, through the Jewish Agency, but rejected by the leaders of the Arab community, most notably the Palestine Arab Higher Committee, and the Arab League. It was at this time that the Palestinians refused to recognize the U.N.-approved partition, or any jewish sovereign entity that was formed thereof. The very day the plan was ratified in the General Assembly, civil war erupted in Palestine between its Arab and Jewish factions, and 6 months later, when the plan took effect and Israel declared its independent statehood, it was immediately attacked by its Arab neighbors, with armies from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Sudan, among others, all attempting to eradicate Israel and "liberate" the land as Palestine.
So you see folks, it was never about statehood, because the Palestinians were offered statehood in 1947 and they turned it down. They found it more preferable to attack, to attempt to eradicate. They wanted to kill every last Jew in Palestine and claim it as their own. Hmmm...sounds exactly like what is still happening today. Nothing's changed here people. The Palestinians are still saying they want statehood, and yet over 10,000 rockets and mortars have been fired into Israel in the past 10 years. They didn't want peace then, they don't want it now. They still want everything, and they still refuse to recognize Israel's right to exist. How long is this old and destructive way of thinking going to continue to hold them back?
America is a melting pot. We have learned to assimilate our religions, our ancestries, heritages, and cultures, to coexist, to "melt together and meld" as it were. If the Israelis and the Palestinians can't learn how to coexist together, there is no hope that a two-state solution will ever survive. Is Palestinian statehood long overdue? YES! Will it ever happen without durable and lasting peace between Palestine and Israel? Unfortunately, no. A peace agreement seems to be the only logical way to go here. Once the Palestinians finally accept this, we'll see how quickly things get done.

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why is there so much hate lol This is probably the funniest comments I have ever read. Your religion copied ours! Your race is trash! You cant cook or wipe your ass! Like really your all full of bullshit. One all human are parasites. think about it all we do i take over and destroy and its not really the citizens its the leaders so dont go saying for what ever country your talking about is trash and should die and stuff. People cant live with out their leaders influencing them. I'm not going to get in to religion because it's all the same your born, you live, and you die and end up in paradise or suffer in hell for your wrongs which most LEADERS will probably end up going. I have studied all the worlds major religions to get a better understanding it and its pretty much the same live, die, move on. So stop being so ignorant and thinking your better because your not your just a puppet and will rot away in timeand no one will remember. A world war 3 is the best thing for this world really to wipe out all of its bullshit and rebuild with what ever is left for a world without trashy ignorant assholes like yourself. Here's a good idea how about all of you go fix your countries, oh wait you cant because you will fail just like everyone who try in this time because of all the bullshit that goes on around the world everyday. Later, i hope you guys can see how crazy you are, going skydiving in the morning. goodnight!

We are living in historical times, mark my words cowboys. America and the EU are melting like an ice cube before our eyes and their civilisations are collapsing so take notice. The Islamic world is undergoing a rebirth and the future will be shaped on justice and coexistence by Islamic nations. This is something the Western world couldn't offer. The end result is for all to see now. I guarantee you that the crises we witness today are 'irreversible' and the prevailing world order is in its last death rows and a much brighter future awaits gumanity. However, it is not one shaped on secularism, greed and false liberties.

I completely agree, these are historic times and many of the signs have already occured as we can clearly see. Such as the prophecy:

"The Muslims will throw off the reins of the foreigners and take possession of their land, overthrowing those rulers that are foreign agents."

Westerners take heed and educate yourselves about IMAM MAHDI. Or conveniently brush us off as crazy and walk away to the bliss of your ignorance.

No one is persuading you to convert but simply to become 'aware' of future events. This is vital for the paradigm shifting global revolution which has already begun. Your simple awareness of the figure of 'Imam Mahdi' is requested, for he with Jesus Christ, peace be upon them, are on the horizon.

You are funny. Enjoy sucking off Muhammad and Imam Mahdi but the fact remains that Iran and Iranians will soon be free from tyranny and terrorism with regime change. The end is near for these thugs and hooligans which have occupied and destroyed our once great homeland.

Iran will stay as it is thank you very much. We don't need you monarchists and liberals hand back our independence to your white masters. Besides, your white Lords are on the way down. Get some dignity you self-hating pseudo-Irani.

September 22, 2011 at 8:29 pm |

Sassan

Being Iranian is supporting freedom from tyanny of the Islamic Republic of Terror. Being Islamic Arab scum is supporting these illegitimate terrorists.

September 23, 2011 at 6:10 am |

Ali

Ahmadinejad has the same illusion, Ignorance never brings prosperity. Islam is for ignorant people

Islam is for ignorant people? Your assertion attests to your own ignorance. Not my words:

"Modern European education in all its branches stems from the Muslims' curiosity and pertinence in investigating the secrets of nature" – Brillioth (Making of Humanity)

Please go and educate yourself on a few facts.

September 23, 2011 at 5:05 am |

Sassan

Ali joon, you are very wise my brother.

September 23, 2011 at 6:08 am |

Sassan

Islam = disgrace to humanity

September 23, 2011 at 6:12 am |

Ali

There are curious people everywhere; they don’t identify themselves with any religion
It is Islam that is suffering from lack of credibility and trying to link the achievements of every one in Moslem countries to Islam, Avicenna, Rhazes, Berouni, Khayamm, they advanced humane knowledge and understanding not because they where Moslem but because they didn’t want to remain ignorant by the yokes of the Islamic rules, read about their personal views of Islam,
If Islam is the reason for curiosity and scientific achievements then Saudi Arabia must have produced some famous scientist of the world in 1400 years of Islam,
If some one with Arabic name makes a new discovery or invention we should not attribute it to Islam,

September 23, 2011 at 9:11 am |

Observer

That is not a true assessment Ali.
Many western thinkers have acknowledged that Islamic culture and civilisation cultivated an atmosphere conductive to exploration of natural world, why can't you? Come on don't be shy, or rather, don't let your hate for the Islamic Republic blind objective judgement. I understand you may yearn for the glorious secular days before Khomeini but give credit where credit is due.
This is a long discussion but it suffices to recount the situation of the arabs prior and post the emergence of Islam. Prior to Islam they were illiterate and followed ignorant customs such as burying their new born daughter. Upon the arrival of Islam they were raised from this lowley state to the status of one of history's greatest and most advanced civilisations. The single factor responsible for this transformation was Islam and no serious scholar has denied this. Hence, you cannot claim Islamic culture has a neutral effect on society. No, it has historically cultivated the perfect conditions for intellectual life to thrive. This is of course in contrast to the experience of the christian west, were thinkers were persecuted, viz., Gallileo.

Following in that tradition, the Islamic Republic of Iran is advancing the intellectual prowess of its society. Of course, this is not my opinion but was confirmed for all to see:

Observer,
you are making wrong assumption about me,
Please mention some of the Islamic values that the western thinkers believe have contributed to creation of an atmosphere conducive to exploration of natural world,
Quran is the ultimate book of knowledge for a true Moslem.

It is illogical to say that the pre-Islamic Arabs were burying their new born daughters. If that was true Arab race have had disappeared long before Mohammad.

It is strange that from thousands and thousands of achievements of the Western civilization you picked up Galileo’s case.

What is known as Islamic civilization are all the work of civilized nations who become Moslem, if Islam was the reason, Mecca and Medina must have been in that list too.

Nations find that they need to learn western knowledge and science to survive, this is not an indication that Islam has created an atmosphere for science , it is purely survival instinct.

September 23, 2011 at 10:14 pm |

peter

You are correct. the world order is doomed. But the twelth Iman has already appeared by the name Baha'u'llah. The religion of brotherly love is spiritually infused with the power of God, the Bahai Faith. Unfortunately for Islam it resides in the hearts of westerners, therein lies the power of God also. What God hates in the west will be destroyed. What God hates in the Muslim faith he will destroy. Last man standing-the Bahai faith, the Religion of Brotherly Love

Well I am not sure what will happen to "gumanity" ? Whatever race or culture that is. But I can tell you this there will be no over throwing of anyone because of well race, and religion. You clearly can't let other Arabs live because He's Sunni or He's Shiite. What gives dude? We know our faults, why are you so blind to see yours. And for this great "change” yea it won't happen in our lifetime cause were going to destroy ourselves. Being Human is our greatest downfall. P.S. we both have major issues with grammer

I kept laughing as I went through all these posts. It's a wonderful idea to have a look on peole's posts when job doesn't keep you busy. One thing I think I've learned and which I want to say is that both US and Iran's presidents have positions to clarify and they need more human chance to admit they keep lying their own poeple and the world as well on some world's controversial issues.

Possibly, but he holds the highest office in the country, makes more money than you and could, in a very real sense, decide your fate, Joyce. So, toddle back into your trailer, adjust the rabbit ears on your TV and have a nice hot cup of shut-the-F-up while you watch infomercials. K?

only a nuclear annihilation of every jew parasite will suffice to get rid of vermin jew plague once and for all. so what if we al ldie as long as we kill every last jew pest and any americunt svaage around them. you k1kes will wish you never existed

I think Ahmadinejads has guts and I am ashamed of the USA how Obama has brought us down to a level where when a President of another country is in our country and we have no respect for them.He didn't walk out we got the Obamas to think for the shape our country is in and Obama just don't care he is no superman if I was him I would stick my head in the ground like a ostrich does. Obama is the worst president this country has ever had and he has broke us .

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is not a lame duck. He is an "Adolf Hitler wanna-be" !! And he needs to be dealt the same fate as Osama bin Laden, with one exception – Either the CIA or the Israeli Mossad need to remove this piece of human feces from the face of this Earth !!!!

in the near future every last of you jew maggots will be annihilated. there will be no jew.s.a to save you k1ke vermin this time. we will make sure every last jew is slaughtered in worst ways known to humanity for all times.

Fuck you all Bullshit American . Look at your country first and than come other country for rape and murders.
If u fucking American kill some one that is ok . Have you ever seen your own country how much rape and street crime is there. lookt at ur own country and let other counties like Ass hole

Your wordsa are just as fake as your religion. You think backwards in life. Mamommed your profit was an orphan who miinterpreted the bible and now you and your religious cult want to force your religion on other people. Stuff off go and hide in the mountains in Afganistan for the USA to bomb you idiot!

what regioin do you have fucking usa usa . ok few muslim is bad so what but the bad as christan terriot have you seen ur region all copy from our region

September 22, 2011 at 7:10 am |

Traveller

I wish everyone would stop calling the gulf countries regimes of K 9's (except Qatar) sunnis.
Sunna means way. ie the way of God & his messengers.
Those dogs of Saudi & Bahrain for instance are following anything but the Islamic manners prescribed in the Quran & the Hadith. As a matter of fact, they are the very problem that smeared Islam with their backssward traditions mixed with Islam on the one hand & their alliance with the West & against the Mujahidin on the other side.

OBAMA is a black rat,living on the remaining bodies of innocent people died in IRAQ and Afghanstan.More than one million died in Iraq,hundred of thousand s died in Afghanstant.Obama is terrorist number one and Bsh is terrorist number 2.

And fuck you too Wassim, your a cochroach just like your pedophile prophet Muhammad.

September 22, 2011 at 8:21 am |

Heemskerk (NL)

Doesn't this topic mis his whole point, starting the first phrase we are blaming each other without even knowing each other. I have seen have of the world in the last year and I must say that where ever you go people are just as beautifull. Sometime strong messures are nessary, the living proof is that it works the best from the inside out instead of external messures working and supressing.

September 22, 2011 at 9:01 am |

Sassan

Shahid, you are a terrorist Hizbollah scum. Shame on you, and fuck your Islamic religion and fuck Khomeini and all the terrorist Mullahs and IRI agents including you and your family members

hey shahid...you and mohammed are cowards (and rapist). go home.go back to the piece of crap country you were born in. you are not welcome here. you smell. you know i'm right. just ask your other smelly muslim friends. take a cab in nyc.......that's what i'm talking about. why can't you people bathe? tell you what....give me your address...i'll mail you some soap and deodorant. and a dildo.

why is there so much hate lol This is probably the funniest comments I have ever read. Your religion copied ours! Your race is trash! You cant cook or wipe your ass! Like really your all full of bullshit. One all human are parasites. think about it all we do i take over and destroy and its not really the citizens its the leaders so dont go saying for what ever country your talking about is trash and should die and stuff. People cant live with out their leaders influencing them. I'm not going to get in to religion because it's all the same your born, you live, and you die and end up in paradise or suffer in hell for your wrongs which most LEADERS will probably end up going. I have studied all the worlds major religions to get a better understanding it and its pretty much the same live, die, move on. So stop being so ignorant and thinking your better because your not your just a puppet and will rot away in timeand no one will remember. A world war 3 is the best thing for this world really to wipe out all of its bullshit and rebuild with what ever is left for a world without trashy ignorant assholes like yourself. Here's a good idea how about all of you go fix your countries, oh wait you cant because you will fail just like everyone who try in this time because of all the bullshit that goes on around the world everyday. Later, i hope you guys can see how crazy you are, going skydiving in the morning. goodnight!

Oh yeah, he's perfectly sane. He believes the Holocaust never happened. He believes Israel should be wiped off the map. Yes, those certainly are sane qualities, aren't they? To believe this man, every arrested person in Iran is a Western agent trying to overthrow them. Hell, he claimed the two American hikers were spies. The man exhibits a level of delusion and paranoia that can be labeled noithing short of insanity.

Well, why would three American civilians go to the war-torn Iraq-Iran border for hiking when there are literally thousands of other hiking destinations. Oh, and they were both Jewish too. Also, he said that the "Zionist" regime should be eradicated, not Israel. If anything, look at your own president. The so called great "change" bringer has now become the greatest "disappointment" in American history. Maybe you should research what Israel is doing in Palestine; look at the innocent children who are being deprived of their human rights. And yet Palestine is even still deprived of its OWN land. Ahmadinejad speaks his mind and denounces the atrocities and crimes that are currently being committed by bully nations such as Israel and the USA. You, however, cannot accept that based on your red neck republican" bring-up".

Thank you Ali joon for sharing that! That was the Shah's biggest mistake. By not spreading copies of Khomeini's own book and writings about this barbaric madman. :yawn:. The day will come soon that we will once again be free and this time truly democratic.

Admit or not, we do have a group mentality; my street/your street, my town/your town, my religion/your religion, my country/your country, my race/your race, my university/your university…even kids fight for my toys/your toys….all is well and good if we only love and praise our stuff…without hating and undermining other’s stuff….that’s the whole point…let other’s live, whatever they believe in. I do agree there are some things which apply to all of us being humans, and their must not be a misuse of persons (kids/adults/all). I wonder why some people take credit and satisfaction by raising bad points of others without looking into their own faults/shortcomings in person or nation…or just as a human. we are not perfect and we should not be raising fingers on others…rather we should be trying to find a way to help…there is always a way to help others…remember that old phrase from school “ Where there is a will there is a way”. Folks here who are getting so worked up to point out bad things in others I urge to call spade a spade ever where, in other persons as well as our own people, in other regions as well as our won religion, in other nations as well as our own nations….corrupt politicians, sexy religious leaders are everywhere, we all are evolving at our own pace where we are in this world, we all have rights, agree?

September 21, 2011 at 9:05 pm |

Ali

“ corrupt politicians, sexy religious leaders are everywhere “
But they get identified as such and punished accordingly; if we let an Impostor remain a Saint we are not doing any service to anyone

September 21, 2011 at 9:39 pm |

Sassan

We need to stop this madness of "relativism" and call things for what they are: the regime illegally occupying Iran and torturing and killing Iranians on a routine basis is a threat not only to the sovereignty and human rights of the Iranian people; but a threat to the international community with the acquirement of nukes and the "hidden imam" ideology

Ahmadenijad will be the man to deal with in the middle-east. The man has more power than Israel itself all put together with or without their nukes. Israel deal with the Palestinians, for them its an easy win but when it comes to Iran Israel will be looking for outside help and it probably would be the US. While Iran would have China. A mess in the making if both get at eachothers.

"Iran will have China" – dont be silly. Technologically, Israel is a good decade ahead of Iran. Iran wouldnt dare openly challenge Israel until they have a nuke. And as I said, the idea that China would launch a physical war against the US in the next 30-40 years is fantasy.

Obama? A coward? Lets look at the facts. He went into a soveirgn nation to kill the leader of Al Quada without tell that nation what we were doing.. Very risky... Then when asked he said he would do it again and has no regrets not telling Pakistan.. Oh saying Isreal should go back to 1979 lines. This was supported by the last four presidents, Obama was the only one that said it publicly... Coward... No....Get your facts straight

One needs to understand Islam and its objectives. Islam is not about happiness, Islam is about submission to the will of Allah and his rules as explained in Quran and must dominate the world, human being is created by Allah for submission to his will, as a mater of fact freedom has no place in Islam.

I agree, Ali. That's why I favor Ahmadinejad over Khamenei - moderate nationalism over clericism. I'm hoping that Iran will become open to other religious currents - Sufiism, Bahai, Buddhism. The latter does promote happiness and a reduction in suffering.

But I think that evolution is far more likely to yield this openness than revolution. Think of how the U.S. has evolved since the 1950s. Today, the Internet makes evolution irresistible. Have faith!

Iran may call itself an "Islamic Republic", but I'm told that the form of Islam practiced there is atypical. As in Catholicism, the focus is on the clergy and on ritual. Some here say that Islam was forced on Persia. But Persia fought back, by transforming Islam into something intricate and sensual. Islam in Iran is not the rabid fundamentalism we see in the Taliban or in the puritanical Protestant sects of yore. At least, this is what my reading suggests - correct me if I'm wrong.

in your dream .it will never happen. now iran is the best country in the earth. it will stay the best has long has Iran not allowing the IRANINN who are living in the west to go their for any resones.I mean the Iraninn who been kicked out from Iran 0fther SHA of Irann.The west or The American people are ok. they are good people.only the dont know the truth.

September 21, 2011 at 2:18 pm |

Shai

IIran is a disaster to the western world. they are behind the result of the arab sprig in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon (earlier), Gaza, they are trying and succeeding in destroying any western foothold in the middle east.

Islam is an illusion created by the Roman Catholics. See how the catholic nuns and the Islamic women dress alike. See how they use the same prayer beads. So Islam is a Catholic baby which will soon come home to momma.

Yet Islam will not dominate – it is on the decline. Democracy and Protestantism will prevail and Jesus Christ will reign.

Let this nut job say what he has to say and get the F out of our country. We needto stop worrying about these nut jobs with a sub par military and worry about our own prob;ems. We have the Marines and Navy, take you crazy talk somewhere else before we put you back in your place little boy! and stop supporting terrorism thats killing our boys, or you will def. be next n our list.. POS

+( Iran is ready to help creation of dialogue atmosphere between governments and nation )+ - Ahmadinejad

+( The era of military force is over, today is the era of nations, logic and worshippers of God. )+ - Ahmadinejad

+(
Throughout its history, Iran has always been a peaceful country. We have not attacked anybody. Everything we are doing is aimed at defending the country. We think that the age of nuclear weapons is over. If they were useful, the United States would not have the troubles it currently has and the Soviet Union would not have disappeared. The Zionists have atomic bombs, but they are failing against HAMAS. We not only think that the age of nuclear weapons is over, but we are also not interested in building them, because we consider that they are against human rights and dignity. Our security doctrine is a defensive doctrine.
)+
- Ahmadinejad

Iran hasn't attacked anyone in 300 years. To those who profit from war and live by "Might Makes Right", the behavior of Iran's government must indeed seem "psychopathic". To people addicted to war, ignorance and hatred, Ahmadinejad's calls for peace and dialogue must seem mad.

We are unable to imagine a country that is not Just Like Us.

We love nukes, so Iran must love nukes too. Iran's call for a nuclear-FREE zone in the region makes no sense to us.

We want war, so Iran wants war too. We want to play God and wipe whole countries off the face of the map, so Iran must want the same. Nothing else is Thinkable.

We seem to be at war with our own demons. Unfortunately, other countries keep getting in the way.

Really? Iran has never attacked another country in 300 years? Wow...so tell me...who was it they were attacking from 1980-1988 during the Iran-Iraq war? The longest conventional war in the 20th century, and you're claiming it never happened? Is that just like the Holocaust never happened? It's seriously time you pro-Iranian sheeple wake up and see the forest for the trees.
Say what you want about America, we're far from perfect. But you know what? We've never brutally cracked down on our protesters, killing thousands of our own citizens and secretly arresting thousands more. We've never called for another nation to be wiped off the face of the map. Ahmadinejad is beyond psychotic, and I for one am finding it rather amusing that the looneybird is having his wings clipped by the same radical clerics that brought him to power.

You are exactly right. Some people here see the U.S. as the Dictator of the World, bombing other countries into "Freedom" and "Democracy". And when other countries reject the bombs and choose instead an INDEPENDENT course, they retreat into hatred and murderous rage.

Iran should continue to improve its domestic situation, while avoiding actions that might provoke the ignorant war-addicts. I have some sympathy for Iranian progressives, but their view of the "West" is dangerously naive.

September 21, 2011 at 2:20 pm |

Wake up, Sheeple!

HAHAHAHA They weren't kicked out, they risked life and limb to GET out! There's an enormous difference! Please pick which is the more likely statement overheard in this world: 1) "Gee, I think I'll emigrate to the United States" or 2) "Gee, I think I'll emigrate to Iran". I'm sorry, that was actually a trick question, no sane person in their right mind would ever willingly emigrate to Iran.

September 21, 2011 at 7:38 pm |

Babak from LA

Ahamdinejad? A Lame Duck? .... Well let's see Hilary forced more sanctions, he got his neuclear power plant going, put the hikers in jail for 8 years, them asked for $mil to release them ... No that is not what I call a lame duck!

considering how hot headed they can be I would be GRATEFUL that they are a lame duck in actions...considering the war in Iraq and Afganistan...so call it what you want...I am betting they are busy with energy work to give electricity and gas and oil to the farthest regions of Iran...with all the paperwork of sanctions and crap it's a wonder they are still calm..
Seems to me they are being the grown up in the room of whiners of the world in this meeting they are having...put any one on the front lines...seems to me Iran would be right with the soldiers delegating the next move against the enemy...

Ten years ago, politically naive Americans discovered "Terrorism". Instead of investigating and apprehending the killers and their possible accomplices inside our government, we were sent on a wild goose chase in Afghanistan and Iraq. Our naive infatuation with war led to the loss of a million lives in Iraq and 300,000 in Afghanistan, according to some estimates.

Now the War on Terror is out of fashion and a War on Dictators is all the rage. The Cult of Revolution has taken over our minds. We call for "Democracy!", but when we get it, as in Gaza, we try to strangle the electorate.

So who is the lunatic here? The leader who develops his country's technology and improves ties with neighboring countries, or the guy who flits from one murderous fashion to anothe, wasting millions of lives and trillions of dollars?

The Iranian regime is no prize, but it could be a lot worse: It could emulate us!

Iranian people are continually brain washed from early childhood that this life has no significant and one must look forward to his /her death to be with Allah and Saints, death and martyrdom are promoted greatly by Shia Islam, there is not much incentives for improving your condition while you live,
Life revolves around imaginary rewards after death, the reflection of the culture of death is easily visible every where, every thing is temporal, there is no firm connection to earthly values, and therefore there is no desire for long term plan, except for religious reason, Islamic regime has built over 75,000 mosques,
Islam is in a dilemma, wants to destroy who ever opposing it or standing on its way, but it doesn’t have the necessary foundation to achieve that, therefore they are in a constant state of frustration, Islam lacks the ideas that makes a society to function and prosper in current competitive world, it is more beneficial to Islam if the world go back to 10th century, and for the meantime they don’t have any other choice but to blame Zionism, and western hegemony for their backwardness,

The Iraninn people who are living in the west,dont talk about Iran. caz you guys are nothing but garbeges and the worst people in the earth.

September 21, 2011 at 2:10 pm |

Sassan

Great point Babak joon. The only positive thing of the last 30+ years is that this reigme has allowed Iranians to see the true face of Islam. Iran will soon be free and Islam due to the actions of this regime has no future inside of a free and democratic Iran.

September 21, 2011 at 6:21 pm |

NonZionist

It is perfectly normal for religion to be interested in the afterlife, Ali. You will find this interest not only in Islam but also in Christianity. Religion regards the human being as more than just a physical animal. Beauty, dignity, glory, freedom, joy, justice - these attitudes cannot be reduced to purely physical qualities. They are all part of a spiritual awareness that religion strives to develop.

The real "Cult of Death" is the cult of war - the belief that killing large numbers of people is all that is needed to create freedom.

I agree that Islam is ill-equipped to govern in the modern world. Religion should establish a moral and philosophical backdrop, then leave the details of governance to the politicians.

The ultimate goal should be reduction of suffering and improvement in happiness. Islam is not about happiness, Islam is about submission to the will of Allah and his rules as explained in Quran, human being is created by Allah for submission to his will, as a mater of fact freedom has no place in Islam.

September 21, 2011 at 1:03 pm |

NonZionist

I agree, Ali. That's why I favor Ahmadinejad over Khamenei - moderate nationalism over clericism. I'm hoping that Iran will become open to other religious currents - Sufiism, Bahai, Buddhism. The latter does promote happiness and a reduction in suffering.

But I think that evolution is far more likely to yield this openness than revolution. Think of how the U.S. has evolved since the 1950s. Today, the Internet makes evolution irresistible. Have faith!

Ali are you realy a IRANINN? or you are just using that name just to write like HARAMI. who kills more and who made the IRAQ and IRAN war? and more things now. SHA OR SHAHEEN SHA of iran and his followers were shaitans and nothing but hellfire people.

Given the tone of this article, I call this US propaganda. I think CNN keeps taking an increasingly conservative bend, given the possibility that a tea party nut job might end up in power.

Do you really want to take this country to another war that will last you a decade. Iran is not like Iraq, Afghanistan or Libya. Contrary to propaganda, a significant portion of their population, regardless of whether they like their president or not, would oppose any attempts by foreign forces to "free" them in exchange for oil.

For once I would like to see the government of this country (The US) act in the interest of its common people, rather than its super rich or an "ally" that doesn't give a damn about it.

Jason Stone [to Jerry Ross]: When the Martians land, will the press have access? Can we do interviews?

President Dale: Why can't we work out our differences? Why can't we work things out? Little people, why can't we all just get along?

[Watching an alien on TV]
First Lady: Im not allowing that thing in my house.
President Dale: Sweetie, we may have to. The people expect me to meet
with them.
First Lady: Well theyre not going to eat off the Van Buren china.

Gen. Decker: Liberals! Intellectuals! Peacemongers! IDIOTS!

Pitching a hotel-casino idea]
Art Land: If the Martians land, there gonna need a place to stay.
Just like everybody else.

Some Iranians are in a revolutionary fervor. Where these Iranians once chanted "Death to America!", now they chant "Death to Ahmadinejad!". There is no arguing with these naive zealots: They know it all. They know that "Death!" will solve all of our problems.

But consider this: The government these revolutionaries despise was itself the product of revolution. And Iran in the early 1980s was far more intolerant than Iran today. Revolution can be and often is a huge step backwards.

The revolutionaries today preach "Democracy!", as if "Democracy!" were Utopia. But Iran already has democracy. The democracy has flaws, but the same can be said of democracy here in the U.S.. The revolutionaries would throw out the existing democracy and replace it. With what? With Utopia?

If something better than democracy should come along a might consider it
.I only get to watch the end results of the political and social structures made by the Muslim world. Perhaps like many religious you perfer to imagine something else but reality isn't very impressive in that part of the world.

I'm not religious either, Glenn. I am not a fan of Islam. And the Iranian regime is a human rights catastrophe.

But what is the alternative? Attacking religion often makes religion stronger. And in war, we often end up killing the people we pretend to care about, even as we destroy ourselves by playing god.

That's why I put my faith in evolution - not in war and not in revolution. Ahmadinejad seems to be moving Iran in a secular direction. To me, that is progress. The savage hatred for Ahmadinejad makes no sense to me.

September 21, 2011 at 11:31 am |

reality

Ahemedinejad and Erdogan are best hopes for peace in middle and whole world, other western Nazis are busy in killing millions of people.

[Guaranteed they (hikers) will come to the United States?] – "Do I have to provide a guarantee?"
"We do recognize Palestine— but we will not recognize the Zionist regime.. We love all nations. We do love all Americans/ The US has been against us for 50 to 60 years"
"The September 11 [attacks] were actually a planned game to provoke the human community's sentiments and find an excuse for launching attack on Muslim regions and occupying Iraq and Afghanistan, which led to the massacre of one million innocent people,"
"Nuclear energy is the scientific achievement of the Iranian nation... The wave of the Islamic revolution will soon reach the entire world.. Powerful Iran is the best friend of the neighboring states and the best guarantor of regional security,... As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map...For us, humanity is important...We have never sought to..violate the rights of any other country.. We believe that atomic energy is a blessing given by God, It's an opportunity. It is a clean energy. It is a healthy energy... In Iran we don’t have homosexuals like in your country. In Iran we do not have this phenomenon...In Iran I think nobody loses their job because of making a statement that reflects their opinion.. The UN structure is one-sided, stacked against the world of Islam... I'm not anti-Jew.. I respect them very much..They (the Western powers) launched the myth of the Holocaust. They lied, they put on a show and then they support the Jews.. Iran is ready to transfer nuclear know-how to the Islamic countries due to their need... Anybody who recognizes Israel will burn in the fire of the Islamic nation's fury."
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

+( Iran is ready to help creation of dialogue atmosphere between governments and nation )+ - Ahmadinejad

+( The era of military force is over, today is the era of nations, logic and worshippers of God. )+ - Ahmadinejad

+(
Throughout its history, Iran has always been a peaceful country. We have not attacked anybody. Everything we are doing is aimed at defending the country. We think that the age of nuclear weapons is over. If they were useful, the United States would not have the troubles it currently has and the Soviet Union would not have disappeared. The Zionists have atomic bombs, but they are failing against HAMAS. We not only think that the age of nuclear weapons is over, but we are also not interested in building them, because we consider that they are against human rights and dignity. Our security doctrine is a defensive doctrine.
)+
- Ahmadinejad

Why can't people just get along? People are so stupid, if they would just open up a little bit and relax I think things would become much easier. Lets give them all some pot or Valium to chill'em out. I watched an interview with the Iranian president, and that guy seems very arrogant, I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a dictator.

Sassan I hope your people will be able to transition to a better government in the future with little to no bloodshed. Persians are some of the most beautiful caring people, at least all the ones I have met.

* have a worshipful attitude towards Israel?
* support for the U.S. Empire?
* open Iran up to U.S. military bases?
* help Israel to crush the native people of Palestine?
* participate in NATO war-making?
* abandon nuclear, solar and wind power generation?
* return to using the U.S. dollar?

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CNN's Security Clearance examines national and global security, terrorism and intelligence, as well as the economic, military, political and diplomatic effects of it around the globe, with contributions from CNN's national security team in Washington and CNN journalists around the world.